Grand Valley State and Oklahoma State Shine at AAHOACON24’s Hotel Turnaround Collegiate Championship

Monday, April 8, 2024

At AAHOACON24’s inaugural Hotel Turnaround Collegiate Championship, Grand Valley State claimed The People’s Choice Award, while Oklahoma State secured the Judges Championship Trophy. This pioneering competition format tasked university students nationwide with simulating operational and investment choices crucial for revitalizing underperforming hotels, reflecting AAHOA’s dedication to nurturing future hospitality leaders.

“It can be a little intimidating because we come from an academic setting where we are just
involved with professors,” Grant Gordon, a student at Kennesaw State University, said of
the experience of being around the nation’s leading hotel owners. “Being able to come and
speak to hoteliers, some of whom are really big, can be a little intimidating at first. But they’re
all hospitable. We’re in the hospitality industry.”

At AAHOACON24, eleven teams of two students, representing seven universities nationwide, converged for a heated battle for the championship title. Armed with nearly two dozen student contenders, the competition unfolded within the dynamic simulation program HOTELsim, powered by Russell Partnership Technology. This innovative platform immersed participants in scenarios mirroring the real-life challenges encountered by AAHOA Members, encompassing staffing, operations, marketing, and capital investment decisions.

Each student duo was assigned a financially identical hotel, operating within the same market with identical key performance indicators. Leveraging HOTELsim, teams devised ownership strategies aimed at enhancing hotel valuation and future profit potential. Participating schools included:

1. FIU Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, Miami, FL
2. 2. Representing Grand Valley State University from Allendale Charter Township, MI
3. Representing Kennesaw State University from Kennesaw, GA
4. Representing Northwestern State University of Louisiana from Natchitoches, LA
5. Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK
6. University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
7. Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA

Following rigorous evaluation based on financial and balanced scorecard operational results, four teams—Grand Valley State, Kennesaw State, Oklahoma State, and Virginia Tech—progressed to the competition finals. There, student teams showcased their simulated hotels as investment or purchase opportunities to a panel of industry brokerage, acquisition, and investment leaders in a “Shark-Tank style” presentation format.

“We are thrilled to honor the skilled and innovative winners of AAHOA’s inaugural Collegiate
Championship: Hotel Turnaround Competition,” said AAHOA President & CEO Laura Lee
Blake. “This groundbreaking event showcased the exceptional talents and creativity of
students representing outstanding hospitality management programs as they tackled
real-world challenges in hotel ownership. Witnessing their teamwork and problem-solving
skills is truly inspiring. AAHOA is proud to lead the industry in providing unique opportunities
to elevate and celebrate the next generation of hospitality leaders, and we thank everyone
involved in bringing this vision to life.”

“Where was this challenge when I was entering the industry?” AAHOA Immediate Past
Chairman Bharat Patel asked. “As a second-generation hotelier who started my career in
hospitality at a young age, this is the type of program I would have loved to have taken part
in. AAHOA’s introduction of the Collegiate Championship: Hotel Turnaround Competition is
just one more example of how AAHOA is placing emphasis on the contributions of the
industry’s young professionals and future leaders. AAHOA extends a hearty congratulations to
Grand Valley State and Oklahoma State for taking home the top prizes and for their
involvement in AAHOACON24.

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